Legal system in Kashmir under pressure" Army chief

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Army Chief General V K Singhtoday said the legal system in Jammu and Kashmir was under"various pressures" that leave a question mark over theprocess.

"I don''t know how much you are aware of the legalsystem in the valley. There are various pressures out there.

You are aware of Miyan Qayoom Khan, who was President of theBar Association and now he is in detention and he has beenrabidly anti India.

"Now, with that kind of a situation, what kind of ajustice we would expect and legal provisions would befollowed, leaves a question mark," he told a press conferencehere.

The Army Chief was responding to a question why theArmy was opposing a civilian trial in the alleged fake Machilencounter.

Commenting on the inquiry in the case, he said theprobe was delayed initially "because of the local courtsputting a ban on the witnesses being available to the Army andafter that, there were lot of legal wrangles in trying to getthe issue sorted out."

He said the inquiry was in progress and as per thenormal procedures, the Army would like to complete its owninquiry before coming to any conclusion as to what hadactually happened.

Asked if the case had put a question mark on the otherencounters that had taken place in the state, Singh said, "Oneincident like this can''t put under cloud anti-infiltrationmeasures and encounters that take place."

"It would be over-generalisation on the part ofanybody to link this with it (Machil encounter) and say thatall other infiltration measures have failed or there arepeople who are involved," he added.